Essential Knowledge: Regional setting for the Indian independence movement • Indian sub-continent • British India • India • Pakistan (formerly West Pakistan) • Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) • Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) Evolution of the Indian independence movement • British rule in India • Indian National Congress • Leadership of Mohandas Gandhi • Role of civil disobedience and passive resistance • Political division along Hindu-Muslim lines — Pakistan/India • Republic of India – World’s largest democratic nation – Federal system, giving many powers to the states Indian democracy • Jawaharlal Nehru, a close associate of Gandhi, supported western-style industrialization. • 1950 Constitution sought to prohibit caste discrimination. • Ethnic and religious differences caused problems in the development of India as a democratic nation. • New economic development has helped to ease financial problems of the nation.